Afternoon Encounters
by sweetysm
Summary: Sometimes watching clouds is not the most preferable way to spend the afternoon, not even for Shikamaru Nara. Shikasaku one-shot review please


Afternoon Encounters

He was lying in his usual spot, doing his favourite activity: cloud watching. And while he couldn't ask for a better day to do that, the sky being filled with clouds, he was without a doubt distracted by the familiar chakra signature he felt in his vicinity. It has been there for a while now, and since he first felt it he was distracted.

He obviously knew who it belonged to, having grown up with the owner and automatically internalised it under the categories "safe" and "friend". What just didn't make sense was that it hadn't moved, as if the owner was waiting for or observing something. Or someone. And while the chakra signature was surely pleasurable, having experienced the healing chakra himself first hand, it still made it impossible for him to fully relax in its presence, not knowing its true purpose and intention. And, of course, forcing his thoughts to focus on the responsible person. Sakura.

He owned her a lot. Just a week ago, he would have almost lost his team, his friends, Chouji and Ino, had team seven, and more importantly Sakura, not come as backup and saved their asses.

 _They were already tired from their mission, a B-class infiltration and information gathering mission gone awry but still accomplished, when they were ambushed on their return to Konoha. They couldn't risk the intel falling into the wrong hands and fought with their last reserves to eliminate the enemy, but he himself already recognised the futility and their consequent failure, had not team 7 in their usual bravado shown up at the last moment and turned the situation in their favour._

 _While the male members took to fighting the enemy nins, the only female fulfilled her role as medic and rushed to the wounded. While Shikamaru himself had a rather nasty cut on the left side of his torso, it was Chouji and Ino that had more serious wounds, as a result of their close-range fighting style._

 _With Ino having received training in the medical area herself she was already attempting to heal Chouji, but from the looks of it she just couldn't do much, not with her own injuries being life-threatening themselves. Sakura rushed over to them after having assessed Shikamaru's condition in fast glances and ordered Ino to start healing herself while she took over Chouji. Shikamaru neared them as well, so as to deflect any stray weapons that may come their way, not that he could do much else, so depleted of chakra that he was._

 _Chouji was a mess, Shikamaru realised as he stood in a protective stance in front of his friend. Blood was pouring out of him in waves and collecting under him, colouring the grass a dirty brown. If it weren't for a concentrated Sakura steadily pumping in chakra into his best friend's body he would have already declared him dead. Ino seemed to be doing better than before, but she was also out of chakra and the green glow around her hand became less and less._

 _Shikamaru tried to remain calm but at this point he was close to losing his last cool. He could not fail them, he just couldn't. They couldn't just go like Asuma-sensei did and leave him all alone. If only he had taken better care of them…!_

 _Before he could blame himself any more, Sakura interrupted him without ceasing her healing or taking her eyes of her patient: "Shikamaru! I need your help. Take the bandages from my medi-kit and wrap Ino's stomach wound. She alrea dy closed it enough that with the bandages it shouldn't reopen too soon. Then I need you to give them both some painkillers and blood replenishing pills. And don't worry, I have everything handled."_

 _Shikamaru did as told while the rest of team seven finished taking out the enemy. Sakura had meanwhile dispatched one hand on to Ino and was now healing both injured shinobi._

" _They are both stable, but we need to get them to the hospital fast, Chouji needs a surgery and it's not sterile enough here. Let's hurry!" Sakura voice sounded over the battlefield._

 _Kakashi took off with Ino who had passed out by now and Sakura carried Chouji thanks to her chakra enhanced strength while Shikamaru, Naruto and Sai followed behind. They reached Konoha in record time and rushed to the hospital where Chouji was immediately brought to a surgery room under Sakura's orders and Ino and Shikamaru where separately taken care of by other medics._

 _Since Shikamaru was the least wounded he had taken to sitting outside the room where Chouji's surgery was taking place. It reminded him of the disastrous Sasuke retrieval mission years ago, and that was not a good memory. But just as then it was his fault as team leader that his friend was critically injured._

 _Hours passed until first a handful of nurses and finally Sakura exited the room. Before Shikamaru could stand up, Sakura had already seen him and sat down next to him._

" _He's alright. We could stop the bleeding and close the wounds, in about a week he will be able to leave the hospital again", Sakura said softly. Then remembering his chest wound she worriedly inquired:_

" _How are you feeling? That wound taken care of?" and before he could answer her soothing chakra already invaded his body and checked on the now healed wound._

" _Everything seems fine." She withdrew her chakra again before slightly hesitating._

" _Visiting hours are over and Chouji needs his rest, but you can come visit him tomorrow. And Shikamaru... don't beat yourself up about it. Everything is fine now and you know you couldn't have foreseen the ambush. Just go home and get some sleep, okay?" Sakura spoke with care and compassion which were mirrored in her eyes._

 _Shikamaru let out a sigh before answering: "Yeah, thank you Sakura. Good night." He looked her into the eyes as to express his serious gratitude for her before turning and leaving._

That was a week ago, and as promised Chouji was released from the hospital today. They all got away with yet another scare, but Shikamaru swore to himself that something like that wouldn't happen again, he would be more prepared next time.

So after a customary visit to the Barbeque restaurant where Chouji insisted he had to recover from all the weight he lost thanks to the hospital's food, Shikamaru found himself lying on his favourite spot and, well, trying to watch clouds. He could always stand up and go to Sakura to see what she needed, but well… that would mean moving and that would be just too troublesome now, wouldn't it?

Before he could contemplate any further on his course of action the chakra signature neared.

Sakura had been watching Shikamaru lie on the grass for almost a quarter of an hour before she finally decided on nearing him. She had been unsure, because she didn't want to bother him and because last time they had seen each other, a week ago, she was unsure if she had overstepped her boundaries. They were kind of friends, but not really good friends and she wasn't sure if her words had been to smothering or patronising. She was the so dubbed mother of team seven, but while her caring and lecturing behaviour was accepted within her team it sometimes grated on other people's nerves.

However, Sakura only acted like this because she cared. She grew up with him, he was her best friend's team mate and maybe she also had a crush on him. I mean, he was smart, calm and responsible, someone you could count on, even if he was also lazy and unenthusiastic. Sakura just hoped she didn't ruin all her chances with him before she even decided to make her moves.

Still, Sakura was sure that by now Shikamaru had already sensed her and staying any longer watching him would be just plain creepy. So she neared him with a basket full of revised and better tasting food pills than her first patch in her hands.

When she reached the shinobi lying on the grass she spontaneously decided to sit down next to him before greeting him.

"Hey Shikamaru. Cloud watching again?" _Smooth, Sakura, really smooth…_

Shikamaru's lips twitched, watching the lightly blushing pinkette with curious eyes before responding:

"Sakura. Yeah, perfect day for it. So what brings you here? I don't think you are here yourself for that activity", leaving the question hanging while taking her in. Sakura was in her civilian clothes, black skirt and white and red shirt and a basket full of pills in her arms. The clothes suited her, he decided.

Smiling Sakura answered: "Believe it or not, Shikamaru, but not everybody considers cloud watching an activity!" she laughed lightly before continuing "I was just bringing Naruto some food pills that should help him with his training. The first batch I made was actually tasting disgusting even though they were nourishing and Naruto still ate them. That made me feel kinda guilty so I changed the formula and added some fruity ingredients, so they actually taste quite good now. Or at least better than before…" she finished with an embarrassed laugh, realising that she was rambling.

Shikamaru's lips tilted in a smile before sitting up and snatching a pill for himself. Sakura followed his movement with surprised eyes before worrying if they were really more edible than the previous ones.

"Not bad. Better than the ones Chouji always carries around", Shikamaru contemplated and before Sakura could think it through she said:

"Please take some then. I made way too much anyway and… yeah… I mean only if you like them, I mean I'm not forcing you to take some, I mean… I think I will shut up" Sakura finished red-faced and avoided eye contact. _How embarrassing!_ , she thought, _now he thinks I'm a complete idiot!_

To her surprise Shikamaru chuckled before answering with a smile:

"Thanks, Sakura, I'd like that. Actually, I also wanted to thank you again for helping our team last mission. I know you were only doing your job, but still, thank you, without you the outcome wouldn't have been so positive" Shikamaru finished with sincere gratitude in his serious eyes.

Sakura blushed lightly again before reassuring him with a heartfelt smile.

"Thanks, Shikamaru, but as you've already said, I was only doing my job. But that is also a serious point. Not every team has a medic nin and in situations like these they are essential. If more would go in the medical field, injuries and deaths can be prevented in masses", Sakura finished seriously, eyebrows drawn together.

"You're right, of course, but from what I've heard medical ninjutsu is not all that easy. You need perfect chakra control and without it you won't come far, Ino being the best example. But your point still stands. If a team without a medic had shown up, we would have been screwed."

Finishing that sentence, Shikamaru mind went off on a tangent and made him wonder. _Oh heck, why not?_ , he thought.

"Say Sakura, do you know how to play shogi?", Shikamaru asked with curious and determined eyes.

Surprised Sakura answered: "I guess. I mean yes, but, well, Kakashi-sensei sometimes really makes me feel like a beginner", she smiled.

"How about a game after you drop the pills off? I mean, if you have time…?", Shikamaru asked.

Sakura broke out in a big smile which Shikamaru could not take his eyes off.

"Yes, I think I would like that. But don't expect too much, I won't stand a chance against you, mastermind", she responded with twinkling eyes.

Shikamaru smiled at that before snorting quietly and shaking his head.

"We all know you are no idiot youself, Sakura. I think this will be an interesting game."

"We'll see, I guess", Sakura responded before standing up and looking down at the shadow-master.

"Accompany me?", Sakura asked smiling down at him.

"Troublesome. And it's such a nice day for cloud watching as well", Shikamaru grumbled standing up.

"Oh come off it, you lazy man. You get a shogi match later which you will very likely win anyway, so you got nothing to complain." Together they began their way to the training ground where Naruto was training.

 _Well_ , Shikamaru thought looking up into the sky with his hands in his pockets while smiling inwardly, _that really is something to look forward to… especially if she keeps on blushing like this._

 **Tell me what you think please! :)**


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